Title: Robust optimisation of well placement in geologically complex reservoirs

Authors: Faruk O. Alpak; Long Jin; Benjamin A. Ramirez

Addresses: Shell International Exploration and Production Inc., USA ' Shell Global Solutions Inc., UK ' Shell International Exploration and Production Inc., USA

Abstract: In deepwater developments, economic constraints impose stringent limits on the number of wells that can be drilled without compromising economic profitability. Thus, optimal placement of wells has a significant impact on project rewards. A robust reservoir management strategy calls for rigorous techniques that account for subsurface uncertainty in geologically complex deepwater reservoirs. We develop a robust well-location optimisation method that is particularly suitable for such reservoirs. A steepest-ascent algorithm that takes advantage of distributed parallel computing constitutes the computational core of the optimisation method. The method operates in parallel on a number of probable reservoir models and maximises the expected value of ultimate recovery factor. A realistic reservoir-model ensemble with a thin oil-rim layout and complex lobate turbidite stratigraphic architecture is utilised for demonstrating the concept. Results validate the auspicious nature of the proposed robust well-location optimisation method for recovery forecasting in stratigraphically complex reservoirs.

Keywords: well-location optimisation; robust optimisation; adjoint method; field development planning; turbidite reservoirs; reservoir simulation; hydrocarbon recovery forecasting.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPE.2016.084110

International Journal of Petroleum Engineering, 2016 Vol.2 No.4, pp.247 - 264

Received: 15 Apr 2016
Accepted: 10 Oct 2016
Published online: 12 May 2017 *

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